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Cerran Crane
Standing at 6'3" with the long neck of the Crane's, Cerran is neither angular 'nor willowy. His hair falls to a medium length (When judged to the standards of Westerosi men) and is the colour of caramel. Biography Born the Lord Cerwyn Crane and his wife in 276 AC, Cerran was destined to be the heir of Red Lake from the moment of his birth, and the pride of his family from his first steps. He was the first son of a loveless union, one which was founded purely upon politics and not of any feeling of romance. Two sisters and a younger brother would eventually join him in the keep of Red Lake, a regimented place to say the least. For the lovelessness of his parents marriage had spilled over from their bed chambers into their interactions each and every day. They could not be in one another’s presence without being rigidly cordial, and thus their children as well must be rigidly cordial. Thus his early days were spent learning how to sit straight at the table, how to be still for many hours, and how to never say more than was needed. Indeed, a loose word was considered a capital offense in the Crane Household, whether it be amongst the children or Lord or Lady Crane. Both parents took it upon themselves to reprimand such offenses, especially when it was their spouse committing it. But while control of words was not a hard thing to achieve, the control of the mind was much more difficult. Take one away and the other will begin to flourish and blossom with all the unsaid thoughts and words never put to good use. Thus it was that Cerran spent that time not filled already by his study of etiquette immersed in books. Of course his parents had not wanted him immersed in tales of heroics but instead of sense and business. Thankfully the Septa tutoring the Crane children was of another mind about it. And thus from that day Cerran wished to become a knight. It was his dream, to ride out upon dappled steed in glittering armour, to be like those knights in the tales. Of course it was a dream that seemed like it would have very little hope, buried beneath the waves of the cold cordiality of Red Lake. It was the burying of that dream that turned Cerran into such a cynic, with few words to spare, and usually biting ones at that. But Lord Crane knew that cordiality would only get a young heir so far. He himself was an excellent soldier; stern, calculating, and cold...But very efficient at what he did. It was upon Cerran’s eighth name-day that he began his instruction on how to ride a horse, how properly to seat himself. It was around that time that he met his father’s dearest friend, Lord Allun Ambrose. There was a man Cerran knew he would like to be. For while, both Lord Ambrose and his father were men of military talent, they were nothing alike in their nature. For on the field his father was collected and calm, more than happy to throw away the lives of his men for the greater goal while Lord Ambrose had in him the fire of a true warrior, one who fought along with his men, instead of merely using them. But nevertheless, the two remained fast friends up until the time of King Cotter’s War. In the years preceding Cerran had begun to hear from his father certain remarks about what a shame it was that Lord Ambrose had fallen so far. He marked it down as simply his father thinking Lord Ambrose had too much of a heart, not knowing of the broken man’s drinking. When the war came Lord Crane soon found his lands besieged on all sides by the Ironborn, pillaging and raping. Lord Ambrose, who was staying at the time, encouraged them to march out right away in a decisive charge to break the Ironborn’s ranks, though Lord Crane turned this down in favor of waiting it out for help to arrive. When it finally did, when they finally did sally forth from Red Lake the Stranger was waiting for Lord Crane...Or at least he was supposed to be. For during the battle a sword meant for Lord Crane was taken instead by Lord Ambrose, his once closest friends. To hear the account of the men of Red Lake, Lord Crane hardly batted an eye at the Ironborn came at him, hardly reacted when Ambrose threw himself in the way to take the blow. Indeed, the only reaction they noticed was Lord Crane calmly calling for Lord Ambrose to be seen off and offering him a little bow and the words, “You have my thanks, Allun.” Before moving off to issue a few more commands. In the years following Lord Cotter’s War, Cerran’s dreams continued to be buried under the ‘realities’ of the world. Indeed put aside were the hopes of glory and chivalry for what was real, what was present, what was now. Perhaps they still lay buried somewhere beneath the surface of the rather silent cynic Cerran had become. But who could tell if they would ever emerge from being anything more than playful fantasies that could never be attained in Cerran’s mind. Then came the news, he was to wed Lord Ambrose’s daughter, and that was not something he wished to hear. For his opinion on Lord Ambrose had changed greatly since the war, seeing now only the husk of the Lord, a drinker and a man of little aptitude he seemed now. What was more, from the times he had met Carolei she had seemed a waifish thing, more commoner than noble, hardly the proper wife he had imagined for himself. For indeed, when it came to the role of a wife Cerran was anything but unorthodox in his thoughts. A wife was to be seen and not heard, a wife was to do her duty and tend to her husband, and most importantly a wife was supposed to be elegant and refined...Carolei had always seemed so little of all those things. But his father, despite being so cold and distant at all times valued his word more than anything else, and he had given his word to Lord Allun as thanks for being saved by him at Red Lake. Of all the things to kill Lord Crane, no one thought it would have been a broken heart. When the call for war against the Trident and Ironborn came he answered as any good soldier would, marching his men south towards Horn Hill in reserve. He was found in his tent when they had finally made it, slumped back in his seat with misted eyes and clutching at his chest... ...Cerran was now the Lord of Red Lake. But the betrothal could not be broken, his father had made Cerran pledge and swear an oath that he would keep it. Thus it was that Cerran now had no choice, being a Lord in his own right but to summon Carolei to Red Lake. He had to do his duty, and could only hope his father would be proud of him for doing it. Timeline * 276 AC: Cerran is born. * 279 AC: Celyse Crane is born. * 284 AC: Cerran begins his lessons on riding a horse, he quickly becomes masterful at it. * 285 AC: Lord Cotter’s War breaks out, Red Lake is besieged by the Ironborn, forcing the Crane’s to take refuge in their keep. * 287 AC: Cerran learns of his betrothal to Carolei, despite already having his eyes set on a daughter of Lord Bridges. * 290 AC: Cerran participates in his first tilts at a small local tourney for House Crane and their vassals, arranged by his father to celebrate the recovery from the damage of the Ironborn. * 290 AC: Cerran accidentally insults Carolei when she begrudgingly came to speak with him at the tourney, mistaking her for a servant. * 291 AC: Cerissa Crane is born. * 295 AC: Colin Crane is born. * 298 AC: Lord Crane dies while out on campaign, Cerran inherits Red Lake. Family * Lord Cerwyn Crane, Father (Dead) * Lady Vanessa Crane (Vyrwel), Mother * Lord Cerran Crane, Lord of Red Lake * Celyse Crane (19) * Cerissa Crane (9) * Colin Crane (4) * Ser Clarent Crane (Uncle) * Corliss Crane (Cousin) * Clayton Crane (Cousin) * Cersei Crane (Cousin) * Lady Cella Crane (Aunt) Supporting Characters * Ser Clarent Crane (General) * Maester Mern (Maester) * Ser Kerwyn the Keeper (Castellan) * Septa Sarra (Zealot) * Ser Syppart (Trader) Category:Reachman Category:House Crane